Lehonti led a body of Lamanites who refused their king’s order to go to war against the Nephites around 72 BC. After the king commanded Amalickiah to compel the dissenters to arms, they fled to Onidah, appointed Lehonti as king and leader over them, and resolved not to fight the Nephites (Alma 47:5-6). Lehonti’s forces gathered on the top of the mount called Antipas in preparation for battle (Alma 47:7).
Amalickiah, who meant instead to dethrone the Lamanite king and take the kingdom himself, camped his army in the valley below the mount and sent a secret embassy summoning Lehonti to come down. Lehonti refused three times; on the fourth, Amalickiah climbed near to Lehonti’s camp, and Lehonti came down with his guards. Amalickiah proposed that Lehonti bring his army down by night and surround the men under Amalickiah’s command, in exchange for making Amalickiah second leader over the whole army (Alma 47:10-13). Lehonti did so; Amalickiah’s surrounded men pleaded to join Lehonti’s force, and Amalickiah delivered them up, leaving him second in command (Alma 47:14-16).
By Lamanite custom, the second leader became chief leader if the chief was killed (Alma 47:17). Amalickiah then had one of his servants administer poison by degrees to Lehonti until he died, and when Lehonti was dead the Lamanites appointed Amalickiah their leader and chief commander (Alma 47:18-19).